Hiking Mount Will
Trail Name: Mount Will Trail
Location: Bethel, ME
Distance: 3 miles
Elevation gain: 1,023 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Pets: Allowed , on-leash
When I woke up this morning at the crack of dawn (7:00a.m. is the crack of dawn—right?) my weather app said it was a scorching 8 degrees outside. Like many other Mainers, I decided to bundle up and seize the day. No amount of wind or cold was going to keep me inside. My destination: the summit of Mount Will.
The trail is located in the Bethel Town Forest, which is maintained by the town of Bethel. It was originally used as town farm land in the 1800s, and is now home to several deer and other wildlife. The forest is harvested regularly to help preserve the older trees.
The trailhead is located right off of Route 2 in Bethel, directly across from the Bethel transfer station. From Bethel, head north on Route 2 for about 4.8 miles. Then, the trailhead should be on your left, in the back corner of the small dirt parking lot.
Shortly after the trailhead, the trail splits. The trail on the right goes to the north ledges, while the trail on the left moves towards the south cliffs. The trail is one large loop, so it really doesn’t matter which way you go. In the winter months, I would suggest ascending up the south cliffs, as they are a bit steeper and therefore more icy.
The beginning of the South Cliff Trail is relatively flat and moves through the recently harvested forest. Shortly after, the trail alternates between moderate and easy inclines. There are several small outlooks to be enjoyed along the way.
The view from the south cliffs trail is great. It overlooks the Androscroggin river, Hanover, Bethel, surrounding mountains and lakes, and so much more.
In between the cliffs and the ledges, there is about a mile of terrain to traverse. This portion of trail is home to blueberries during the summer months.
Personally, I find the view from the north ledges to be much less exciting than the view from the south cliffs. I think this is partially due to how obstructed the view is by trees. All in all, any kind of view is better than no view. After descending the ledges, the trail loops back down to the parking lot.
This 3-mile trail is great for hikers of all abilities. It has both easy and moderate portions and can be shortened if needed. The flexibility of this trail paired with the fantastic views of the Androscoggin Valley makes it a vital Western Maine hiking trail. Happy hiking, friends!
